Ronald Meyer
Ronald Meyer | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1944 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Occupation | Agent |
| Years active | 1964 – present |
| Employer(s) | William Morris Agency, Paul Kohner Agency |
| Title | Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal |
| Term | September, 2013 – present |
| Board member of | Universal Studios |
| Spouse(s) | Ellen Meyer Kelly Chapman |
| Children | 4 including Jennifer Meyer |
| Relatives | Tobey Maguire (ex-Son-In-Law) |
Ronald Meyer (born September 25, 1944) is an American entertainment executive and former talent agent. He currently serves as the Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal.
Early life
Meyer was born to Jewish immigrant parents who escaped Nazi Germany.[1][2] His family's love for film influenced him at an early age. At 15 Ron dropped out of high school, and at 17 he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served until he was 19. He worked as an agent for the Paul Kohner Agency in Los Angeles from 1964 to 1970, and from 1970 to 1975 for the William Morris Agency.[3]
Beginning of Business Career
At a lunch in 1975, Ron and some friends came up with the idea of starting an agency to represent talent in the very diverse and ever-thriving area of Los Angeles. They opened up in a rented office with card tables, folding chairs, and their wives serving as the secretaries. Creative Artists Agency is now one of the premier talent representation agencies, and has represented the likes of Martin Scorsese. They later expanded its range of services to include consulting with leading American and international corporations.[1]
Current career
Meyer served as the President & CEO of Universal Studios (formerly MCA) from August 1995 until September 2013. He was the longest-serving chief of a major motion picture company in the history of Hollywood.[3] In September 2013, he was promoted to Vice Chairman of Universal Studio's parent company, NBCUniversal.
Personal life
Meyer has been married twice. His first wife was Ellen Meyer; they had two children, movie production executive Sarah Meyer and jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer (who was previously married to actor Tobey Maguire).[4] In 1993, he married model Kelly Chapman; they have a son and daughter.[4] In May 2018, the couple announced that they were separating after 25 years of marriage.[4] Meyer lives in Malibu, California.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Biography for Ron Meyer". IMDB. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ^ Brook, Vincent. From Shtetl to Stardom: Jews and Hollywood: Chapter 1: Still an Empire of Their Own: How Jews Remain Atop a Reinvented Hollywood. Purdue University Press. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Moriah Breakfast with Ron Meyer". Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ^ a b c Mohr, Ian; Smith, Emily (May 25, 2018). "NBCUniversal vice chairman Ron Meyer and wife split". Page Six.
- ^ Zeman, Ned (September 28, 2016). "Ron Meyer, Hollywood's Mr. Nice Guy". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 1, 2017.